Elwood excited about ConnachtÕs first home tie

Date Published: {J}

Dara Bradley

IT is eight and a half years since more than 2,000 people under the Friends of Connacht Rugby banner took to the streets of Dublin and marched on IRFU headquarters at Lansdowne Road, demanding that the union would abandon plans that would have led to the expulsion of Connacht from professional provincial rugby.

This Saturday, as Connacht Rugby faces into its most anticipated season of the professional era, up to 3,000 season ticket holders, Connacht fans of the newly established supporters club, Connacht Clan, will gather at Eyre Square and march to the Sportsground.

The rally is being organised to mark the foundation of Connacht Clan as the province play their first home game of the inaugural RaboDirect Pro12 season against Llanelli Scarlets at College Road (kick-off, 3.15pm). The symbolism may be unintended; but Saturday’s march heralding a new dawn for rugby out west and a celebration of the massive strides Connacht has taken, contrasts sharply with 2003.

With the optimism comes the pressure to perform; pressure to keep the 2,500 additional supporters who bought season tickets compared with last year, to stay coming to see Connacht and spread the brand; and pressure for results.

Head Coach Eric Elwood, excited about the first home game in the newly revamped Sportsground, said he is hoping his players can respond positively to that expectation.

“The expectations are there, there is pressure, there’s a buzz around Galway, season ticket sales are up, the new stand is taking shape and people are looking forward to it. But it’s the pressure we want, we want to be there, we want to be playing the best, competing at the highest level. We’re trying to build the brand and a lot of work has gone in on and off the pitch.

“It’s been a long process for a lot of us and it’s taken a long time and we want to continue to build and continue to attract more people to the Sportsground. We’re an all-inclusive team for all of the province and we want to be competitive week in week out and this weekend is the start of it. We’re hoping people will come and roar and help us on the field with support from the terraces,” he said.

Elwood praised his charges resilience and particularly defensive effort against Treviso, in searing 35 degrees heat, last weekend, which the visitors won 11-9 but there is scope for improvement in Connacht’s attack, he said.

“I’m absolutely delighted with the win. It was our first game against a team that doesn’t lose that often at home – they won eight out of 11 home games last year. So we showed great character and resilience. They’re very physical but I was happy with the way we defended the set-pieces and driving maul.

“We didn’t allow them to score a try, which was also pleasing. So to play and defend in such a physical match in the conditions and high temperatures was good. We were resilient and our attitude was right and we defended well. We’re under no illusions, it’s just one game out of 22 but it’s a good start and we can build from it,” he said. He was pleased that despite the ferocity of the battle, the players pulled through without any serious injuries.

Not since the start of the 2006/2007 season has Connacht commenced a league campaign with back-to-back wins.

Last year, having easily accounted for Newport Gwent Dragons at home in the league opener, it was the Scarlets who sensationally denied them breaking that particular duck in Wales last September when the home side came from 20-13 behind at the break only to bounce back to win 35-33 courtesy of a penalty deep in injury-time.

This weekend Scarlets are missing ten of their most recognisable and formidable players with Jonathan Davies, Tavis Knoyle, fly-half Rhys Priestland, youngsters George North on the wing and centre Scott Williams, all on international duty in New Zealand at the World Cup.

They are also without talisman and deadly-accurate place kicker Stephen Jones at outside half although new, young recruit Dan Newton proved his worth with the boot at number 10 last weekend against Aironi where he kicked 19 points, five penalties and two conversions, in their convincing 32-9 victory over the Italians at Parc Y Scarlets in the campaign opener.

Elwood doesn’t ‘buy in’ to the theory that the Scarlets or other teams shorn of internationals are necessarily that weakened and he expects another testing afternoon on Saturday.

“They are missing players but these teams with international players are missing guys for the Six Nations and the World Cup and they can plan for that. They have the big squads for that and they can plan and bring in the players. We have a small squad so it’s the same difference.

“They’re coming here with a very good team and we’re under no illusions about the task we face. Scarlets are a different team and a different prospect and play a different brand of rugby to Treviso so we will change the way we play. Any time we’ve played Scarlets it has been a free-flowing, open match,” he added.